Trump: I Was 'Really Impressed' With Cain

Donald Trump says he was very “impressed” with presidential hopeful Herman Cain and told the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO he should be “very proud.” The real estate mogul — who met with Cain on Monday — also told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren later in the day that he is not surprised the candidate’s popularity has surged.

“I was really impressed — and I told him, I said: ‘Herman, you should be really proud of yourself. You have done an amazing job, a really great job in terms of — and this is an individual, so we won’t use the word ‘branding,’ but just in terms of really setting yourself up for great things — whether it happens or not, for just great things,’” Trump said. “I think he’s done an amazing job, a great job.”

Trump said after meeting Cain — the latest GOP candidate to meet with the billionaire — he was not surprised at the candidate’s recent jump in the polls.

“He’s just a very interesting guy — and he comes out with some very specific plans — and lots of other people aren’t coming out with the real specific plans,” Trump said. “And you know, I just liked him very much — as a person, I liked him very much, and it’s one of the reasons he surged.”

Van Susteren noted it was interesting that so many GOP candidates have made the “pilgrimage” to see Trump.

“Well, we talked about that a little bit — and the fact is that I represent a large group of millions of people that really like what I’m saying about China and about OPEC and about lots of other countries that are just ripping us off,” Trump said. “I mean, this country is a poor country — our country, hard to believe, is a poor country — and we’re poor not because all of the other things people are saying, we’re poor because other places throughout the world are just ripping us [off].

“They’re just stealing our money — they’re taking our money like we’re babies,” he said. “Now, we have other problems, but our biggest problem in terms of what’s happening with the United States is China, and OPEC, and others just taking our jobs — manufacturing, just manufacturing virtually everything for us. We don’t have jobs anymore — we’re not manufacturing — we buy everything.

“You know what we do? We service our elderly, we service people from healthcare — but that’s not like bringing in money. It’s really very sad when you see what’s happened to the United States — and I discussed that with Herman, and I discussed it with Mitt Romney and with Rick Perry,” Trump continued. “I mean, you know, people understand what I’m saying. But I represent a large, large group of people, millions and millions of people. I was leading in the polls, don’t forget, Greta — you will attest to that — and there was a reason.”

When asked whether he had a favorite candidate, Trump demurred.

“Well, it’ll be a period of time — but I’ll make a decision,” Trump said, adding he also still has not decided whether there is a need for him to run for president.“Let’s see what happens.”